"Driving Rain" - an exclusive interview with David Kahne

Q: How was the process of transfrering a 16-track machine taping to the digital equipment?
A: I transferred from tape to Logic Audio through apogee 8000's. there is no loss of the great tape sound through those boxes.

Q: How this operation came about on the recording of "Driving Rain"?

A: We wanted a punchy sound and also the ablility to use digital editing and plugins.

Q: On his official site, Paul McCartney says that you were almost DJ-ing the mixes. Can you explain how this process works in a recording session?

A: I think Paul is refering to my cutting and manipulating of the tracks once we got into the computer. like a DJ doing a mix, instead of standard recording process.

Q: When you were producing the track "She's Given Up Talking," did you get any Beatle song as reference? It seems a very Revolver-66 era kind of recording. Is it your favourite on the album, by the way?

A: I didn't think of a beatle song on "Talking," but I can see why you would say that -- because of the distortion on the vocals and drums. We just wanted it to be aggressive, and that's how it turned out. I don't really have a favorite, although i have been listening to "I Do" a lot lately.

Q: Driving Rain main's engineer was Mark Dearnley who has been producing lots of Ozzy Osbourne's album, right? Did he and Paul talked about working on similar ways on "Driving Rain"? I feel that there're a few bits of "No More Tears" track on "Rinse The Raindrops" song. Am I far from the correct answer?

A: We didn't talk about Ozzy's record, but there's such a variety of approaches taken on the album that we hit on alot of styles as we went.

Q:You said on the Dotmusic site interview that you produced 22 tracks for Driving Rain, being 15 included on the album. How about the leftovers? Can you talk a bit about the 7 outtakes? I'm aware that "Vanilla Sky," which I have already listened to, is one of them. Can you reveal the other b-sides names and how they sound like a bit?

Q: "Vanilla Sky" was recorded for the movie during that time, so it's not really an outtake. The songs that didn't get on to the record are as varied in style as the album is. It was just too many songs to put on one album. I'm sure they'll show up someday on albums. There are ballads and a sort-of bluegrass song, and more -- a lot to look forward to.

Q: How was working with Paul? Did you find him very laid-back in the studio? Have you already scheduled any dates for a new work in the future?

A: Paul was great to work with, but i wouldn't say laid back. He works very hard and has a very high standard, which i appreciated as I also have a very high standard. Paul really pushes himself. Hope this all helps you. So glad you like the album.

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Q: In the beginning of She's Given Up Talking we listen to a tape going backwards. How this idea came about and how did you achieve that?
A:Because we were recording on tape (uncommon now for me) when I heard the backwards sound I thought it was cool because I remembered a lot of sessions where I would be hearing that half the time. Paul said we should use it somewhere, so I just recorded it on DAT and spun it into the top of "Talking."

Q: Also, I listen to some conversation throughout of the guitar solo. Could you describe me what is it?

A: That was Paul talking to Rusty, I think, a loud cue for the long solo and where we were in it. we didnt know we'd be keeping the take. I just left the yell in, and Paul said OK.

Q: One of the most interesting bits on the album is the bass intro on "Lonely Road." I sense that it's something that you and Paul pulled off in the studio. Can you tell me a bit about this cool part?


A: Nothing special on the bass of "Lonely Road," except that Paul is a genius bass player, and we got a great sound.
Q: I've heard comments that people think that was an easy album to be recorded because it turned out so fast fresh and bare. But I suppose that there's much more than a few takes and a quick work on the final mixing right? What's the most delicate thing that you had to do while putting the final touches on "Driving Rain"?

A: There's a lot of programming on the record that's invisible. I spent hours with sounds and very delicate editing so that the sense of the album is simple and off-hand. A few places like the end of "Magic" or all of "Rinse" show more of the computer work. The computer is integrated into the album from the start. For instance, on "Magic," we used the demo layed in over the new track. It was a different tempo and slightly sharp , so I had to lay it in beat by beat. The effects is that dense tape-compressed sound, and the strange snare sound. There are many instances like this of the computer integration. Like on Heather, where, in the second verse, you hear the drums start a section with a double time snare backbeat, and gradually fade into a straight time feel. It's so smooth you don't pick it out right away, which is what I wanted to do. Paul was really into the process and had alot of great ideas about things to try with the computer.

Q: I also read somewhere that your son is a big Macca solo fan. Can you talk about this a little bit?


A: Yes, my son is a huge fan of Paul's. He had tracks and info that I'd never heard. He made a book for me (he's a filmmaker and graphic artist) with information about every one of Paul's albums, including graphics.
Q: Are you aware about the songs Rusty, Abe and Gabe enjoyed the most on the recording of "Driving Rain"?


A:One great fun part was the "Rinse the Raindrops" playing. Just wild abandon from everyone, especially Paul. He was having so much fun and everyone was so inspired by him.
Q: I know you can't talk openly about the outtakes, but why "From A Lover To A Friend" single came out only with remixes instead of original leftovers ?


A: The remixes are of "Lover" just because that was to be the first single and Paul wanted me to try some ideas because he wanted music to add value to the single. I loved the way they turned out, too. So much fun to do. That dry close voice, and the cello line, etc.

Q: I've read on a interview that you are going to work with Paul again. Has he already scheduled to work with you again next year?

A: I can only say that Paul wants to work again soon...

Q: Can you tell me a little bit more about one of that leftovers you mentioned before, like that bluegrass-type track that ended up off the album? That's a question that undoubtly intrigues most of the fans, by the way.

A: The song is called "Washington". I only mention it because Paul mentioned it somewhere, so I feel OK telling you about it. It's a sort of train song, so it has that train-track feel. Very cool love song.